Taiwanese Boba Tea Shop Sweet on Koubei Smart Tech Alizila.com

Taiwanese bubble-tea chain Happy Lemon has teamed up with Koubei, Alibaba Group's local-services app, to upgrade its in-store technology, including a new drink-making robot. At its pilot "smart store" in Shanghai, customers have the option of buying their drinks at a counter manned by employees or, for a fully automated experience, purchasing via their smartphones for service by the robot. Customers scan a QR code with the Koubei app, tick a few boxes to customize their drink, then wait for a text notification to pick up their tea at a smart locker, which opens when they tap a "pick-up" button on the app. WATCH: Robotic arm mixing "handmade" bubble tea. The robot can make eight types of drinks with about 40 variations based on customer preferences for different amounts of ice and sugar – each taking about 90 seconds, Koubei said.